Whether a school, scout group, corporate retreat or community group, teambuilding is the number one reason most groups come to YMCA Camp Bernie— with intentional choices, everything from our activities and our meal routines are designed to maximize cohesion and collaboration. Whether your group is here with us for just a few short hours or a few days, we want you to make the most out of our time here. Take advantage of teambuilding and group bonding, or try your hand at one of our challenge elements, fuel up in our full-service dining hall before exploring your creative side. We have something to fit the needs of your group and with our camp a half hour away from Pennsylvania and less than 90 minutes from New York City, YMCA Camp Bernie is your camp just around the corner.
Whether you're aiming to break the ice with your group, strengthen your team, challenge yourself with new activities, or learn a fresh skill, there's something for everyone. Most of our challenge elements encourage collaboration, fostering confidence, personal growth, and team bonding.
Program activities are defaulted for 90 minute blocks for groups of about 15 participants. Activity block periods and group sizes may be adjusted based on the needs of the group. *Please Note* adjustments to group sizes and activity length could affect the availability of certain activities and the number of participants that can successfully complete an activity. Activity availability is subject to change based on weather and safety conditions.
The cornerstone of our team building and bonding experience is our ASE classes. These combine portable activities and stationary ones within the woods— both of which are facilitated and debriefed by our trained and experienced instructors. Our staff provide personal experiences tailored you your group’s skill, ability, dynamics, and overall goals. In an average class, an instructor will gauge where your group’s ability to work together lies with a handful of warm up games in order to get everyone acclimated to not only each other, but to Camp Bernie as well! After these warm up games, you’ll head into the woods, where exciting challenges await your team— each element is part of a larger story that your team must progress through— how will you escape off of a deserted island? How will you get through a looming spider’s snaring web? The answer is together, of course!
Considering extending your trip to an overnight stay? Groups that stay overnight will be assigned to lodge in our cabins. Cabins are all-weather with the exception of our Village of Rustic Cabins. Groups will be assigned to cabins based off of the size of their party. Lodging can be requested, specific requests are not guaranteed but will be taken under consideration.
If requesting additional cabins outside of your group capacity, additional charges may incur
YMCA Camp Bernie serves outside day groups by contract through the entire year and even during the summer. Our variety of program offerings are designed to fit the needs and goals of your group. Our staff work with you to plan and execute a memorable summer excursion.
Activities we offer for day groups in the summer are more limited than our Spring and Fall options but we still have plenty to offer your group including New Games, Action Socialization Experience (ASE) Teambuilding, Low Ropes, Climbing Tower, Red Trail Hike/Forest Ecology, Point Mountain Hike, Stream Ecology, Sensory, Vertical Playpen, Wilderness Survival, Firebuilding, Sensory Awareness, and Apple Cidering.
*Summer Day Groups can serve up to 60 participants. These are split into as many as 4 groups of around 15 participants.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30am-9:00am | Arrival and Orientation |
| 9:00am-10:30am | Activity 1 |
| 10:30am-10:45am | Transition |
| 10:45am-12:15pm | Activity 2 |
| 12:15pm-12:30pm | Waiters to Dining Hall |
| 12:30pm-1:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm-2:30pm | Activity 3 |
| 2:30pm | Departure |
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30am-9:00am | Arrival and Orientation |
| 9:00am-10:30am | Activity 1 |
| 10:30am-10:45am | Transition |
| 10:45am-12:15pm | Activity 2 |
| 12:15pm-12:30pm | Waiters to Dining Hall |
| 12:30pm-1:30pm | Lunch |
| 1:30pm-3:00pm | Activity 3 |
| 3:00pm-3:15pm | Transition |
| 3:15pm-4:45pm | Activity 4 |
| 4:45pm-5:45pm | Free Time/Camp Store Open |
| 5:45pm-6:00pm | Waiters to Dining Hall |
| 6:00pm-7:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm-8:00pm | Evening Activity |
| 8:00pm | Departure |
